JOHOR BARU: The police are tracking down the suspect believed to be involved in two back-to-back fires that took place in a surau and a mosque in Batu Pahat.

Johor police chief Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the same person is believed to be involved in the two arson cases in Sri Medan, Batu Pahat.

“The investigation is still ongoing, but we believe that the same person is involved in both cases based on the modus operandi that we have identified.

“Both cases are very similar, and we also found that the suspect entered the surau and the mosque the same way,” he said at a press conference here on Wednesday (Jan 17).

He said this in response to a question on the development of the cases that took place on Sunday (Jan 14) and Monday (Jan 15).

Comm Kamarul Zaman added that the Batu Pahat ‘kadi’ office has also been called forward to assist with the cases, which are both being investigated under Section 436 of the Penal Code for mischief by fire.

“The ‘kadi’ office is assisting us in identifying the suspect and God Willing, we will be able to catch him soon,” he said.

On Tuesday (Jan 16), Batu Pahat OCPD Asst Comm Ismail Dollah said that a fire had partly damaged Surau Ar Nur Parit Bangas at around 10pm on Monday.

This comes just one day after a fire broke out at Kampung Parit Simis Mosque at around 10.50pm.